One in 20 cancers linked to diabetes and obesity

More than one in 20 cancers worldwide are attributable to diabetes and high Body Mass Index (BMI), according to the first study of its kind.

Diabetes and a BMI of over 25 kg/m2 were the cause of 5.6 per cent of new cancer cases worldwide in 2012 – equivalent to 792,600 instances. When considered individually, 544,300 cases were attributable to high BMI (equivalent to 3.9 per cent of all cancers), and 280,100 were attributable to diabetes (2 per cent).

“It is important that effective food policies are implemented to tackle the rising prevalence of diabetes, high BMI and the diseases related to these risk factors.”

Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, lead author, Imperial College London

Only Turkey (35.2 per cent) had a higher prevalence of obesity in females with 29.2 per cent of British women deemed to be obese. The UK also had the fourth highest average body mass index (BMI) score for males and the seventh highest for women, a study published this week revealed.

Both high BMI and diabetes are risk factors for various types of cancer, potentially due to biological changes caused by diabetes and high BMI – such as high insulin, high sugar levels, chronic inflammation, and dysregulated sex hormones such as oestrogen – having adverse effects on the body. With these two risk factors becoming increasingly widespread, the proportion of attributable cancers is set to grow further.

Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, the Lancet study’s lead author from Imperial College London, said: “As the prevalence of these cancer risk factors increases, clinical and public health efforts should focus on identifying preventive and screening measures for populations and for individual patients. It is important that effective food policies are implemented to tackle the rising prevalence of diabetes, high BMI and the diseases related to these risk factors.”

Unique study

The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, is the first to quantify the proportion of cancers attributable to diabetes and high BMI. It assessed the increase in new cases of 18 cancers based on the prevalence of diabetes and high BMI in 175 countries between 1980 and 2002.

Most of the cancer cases attributable to diabetes and high BMI occurred in high-income western countries (38.2 per cent) and the second largest proportion occurring in east and southeast Asian countries (24.1 per cent). Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar had the lowest proportion of cases attributable to high BMI and diabetes, reflecting geographical differences in the prevalence of diabetes and obesity as well as incidence of cancers affected by them.

Globally, the growing number of people with diabetes between 1980 and 2002 led to 77,000 new cases of attributable cancers in 2012 – a 26.1 per cent increase. Similar increases in the number of people with high BMI led to 174,040 new cases of weight-related cancers (a 31.9 per cent increase) over the same time.

“Diabetes doesn’t directly cause cancer, but this study adds to the evidence that having diabetes can increase risk of certain types of cancer. We also need to recognise the individual types of diabetes, and understand how they might affect the risk of cancer differently.”

Dr Emily Burns, Diabetes UK

Experts believe almost 12 million people in the UK are at risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Dr Emily Burns, from Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes doesn’t directly cause cancer, but this study adds to the evidence that having diabetes can increase risk of certain types of cancer. We also need to recognise the individual types of diabetes, and understand how they might affect the risk of cancer differently.”

Dr Pearson-Stuttard said: “Increases in diabetes and high BMI worldwide could lead to a substantial increase in the proportion of cancers attributable to these risk factors, if nothing is done to reduce them.

“These projections are particularly alarming when considering the high and increasing cost of cancer and metabolic diseases, and highlight the need to improve control measures, and increase awareness of the link between cancer, diabetes, and high BMI.”

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